Door assembly



Feb- 24. 1942 C. K. SANDERS DooR ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 11. 1941 ATTORNEY:

Feb. 24, 1942. K SANDERS 2,274,216

DOOR ASSEMBLY Filed Feb. 1l, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v INVEVTR.- n

Claude JC, .Sanders A TTORNEYS Patented Feb. 24, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT; oFFlcE y -f 2,274,21sv` j Doon ASSEMBLY Claude K. Sanders, Turlock, Calif. e Application February 11, 1941, serial Nq. 378,330

s Claims. (C1. 26S- 74) t This invention relates in general to an im` proved door assembly 4of the vertically opening type, and in particular'the invention is directed to, and it iS an object of this invention' to provide, a unique, vertically folding doorassembly.

Another y,object of the invention is to provide a vertically folding door assembly which is especially suited for doors of considerable length and consequently relatively great weight, such as those of publicv garages,r warehouses, etc.

' It is also an object of the invention to provide 'a vertically folding door assembly which is flexible in operation, and when fully'open provides adequate vertical clearance and leaves the door opening wholly unobstructed.

A further object of the invention is to produce ay simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Figure .1 is a foreshortened, rear or back view ofthe door as closed.

Figure 2 is a cross section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a cross section on line 3-3 of Fig. V1 showing the door as being opened.

Figure 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary Sectio on line 4--4 of Fig. 2.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the door opening for the door assembly is defined by end posts I and a top or head beam 2.

The door assembly comprises upper and lower panels 3 and 4 respectively, whose length depends entirely on the width of the door opening and which may be substantial. These panels are hinged together, as at 5, along adjacent horizontal edges, and the upper panel is hinged along its upper horizontal edge to the top beam 2, as at 6. The hinges 5 andl 6 are mounted for up ward and inward folding movement of the door assembly.

A roller l is `fixed on and projects from each end of the lower panel adjacent the lower edge thereof, and Such rollers engage in vertical and cooperating guide channels 8 fixed with the end posts I. The panels are constructed preferably of sheet metal and are suitably braced by angle irons or the like, as shown generally A horizontal I beam IIIr or the like is disposed parallel to, but above and rearwardly vof top beam 2; such beam I 0 being suitably supported? on the buildingstructure II. A horizontal shaft I2 is disposed above I beam Ill and is carried in journals I3` seated and secured on said beam.

This shaft extends for the full width of they door opening, and is driven from one end and at'reduced speed by means of a suitable reversing electric motor and reduction gear unit, shownv adjacent the plane of both ends offthe door as-lsembly. These drums are of like diameter and each is formed with a helical groove I6 for Winding reception of cables I1, which are secured at one end on said drums and in one end of the corresponding groove.

f From the drums, the cables Il extend downwardly at a slight forward slope and in clearance relation to beam IIl.

Intermediate the upper and lower edges of the upper panel 3, each cable threads between a pair of vertically spaced but adjacent guide pulleys I8 disposed on axes parallel to shaft I2; such pulleys being framed as lunits I9 rigidly secured on the back of the panel. Forwardly of units I9 the cables pass through ports 2Il in the upper panel and thence each cable extends downwardly in a vertical channel 2|. These channels are depressed in the outer face of the upper and lower panels and extend from adjacent said units I9 f downward to other ports 22 in the lower panel g and at their lower ends, the cables connect with eye bolts 24 adjustably attached to brackets 25 on the back of the lower panel. The pulley units I9 and shoes 24 are offset rearwardly of the plane of the panels 3 and 4 so that `when the door assembly is in closed position, the cables rest in channels 2I andare thus semi-concealed as Well as protected.

To prevent swaying of the door assembly when closed, a pin or pins 26 project with loose play into cooperating sockets in the oor. If desired slide bolts or the like maybe used at the ends of le door assembly to lock the same when c os Operation To open the door assembly from a closed position, unit I4 is energized so as to cause shaft I2 to rotate in a direction to wind cables I"I on drums I5. Due to the use of equal diameter drums and the helical grooves I6, each cable is taken up equally and as is requisite to proper operation of the assembly.

As the cables are taken up, the door assembly folds inwardly and upwardly until folded together, thus leaving the door opening wholly unobstructed and with ample overhead clearance.

During the folding operation, and when the panels are folded together, cables I'I extend Vertically between pulley units I9 and shoes 23, and said units and shoes carry the direction changing strain which the cables impart at those points, and also prevent kinking of the cables.

To close the door assembly, the unit I4 is reversed, effecting an unwinding of the cables from the drums and unfolding of the panels 3 and 4; the pins 26 reengaging in their corresponding sockets in the floor.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fullls the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specication sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A door assembly for a door opening which includes a head beam, said assembly comprising a vertically foldable door` assembly including upper and lower panels hinged together along adjacent edges, means suspending said assembly from the head beam for inward and upward folding movement, and means applied to the assembly to fold the same; said last named means including a driven cable drum disposed above and rearwardly of the door assembly. a cable connected at one end on the drum, the upper and lower panels having ports intermediate their upper and lower edges, the `cable being threaded through the port in the upper panel from the back and thence depending to and threading through the port in the lower panel from the front, and means anchoring the cable at the other end on the back of the lower panel.

2. A structure as in claim 1 including guide pulleys on the back of the upper panel adjacent the corresponding port and between which pulleys the cable passes, and a curved shoe on the back of the lower panel adjacent the corresponding part and over which shoe the cable rides between said last named port and said anchoring means.

3. A structure as in claim 1 including a vertical channel in the front of said panels between said ports; the portion of the cable between said ports engaging in said channel when the door assembly is closed or unfolded.

CLAUDE K, SANDERS. 

